The Damascus National Library opened its platform to the novelist and writer Jan Dost, who delivered a lecture today, Wednesday, titled "A Brief History of Kurdish Literature in Syria: A Reading of the Path, Contributions, and Challenges." Dost addressed in his lecture the transformations that Kurdish literature has witnessed since the birth of the magazine "Hawar" nearly a century ago, up to the current stage that opens new horizons thanks to Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2026, which approved the Kurdish language as a national language.
Journalism and Poetry in Preserving Memory
Dost outlined the path of Kurdish literature through the stages of the French Mandate, independence, coups, and the Baath era, pausing at the role of the magazine "Hawar" in attracting pioneers of literature and poetry. The lecturer pointed to the contributions of early poets in developing Kurdish poetry through oral epics and songs transmitted in gatherings, which preserved collective memory despite limited opportunities for publishing and education in the Kurdish language in previous stages.
Dost also touched upon the development of Kurdish prose, short stories, and novels, noting that the restrictions imposed by the Baath rule and the former regime affected the cultural presence of the Kurdish language, without preventing the continuation of writing and attempts to preserve the linguistic heritage. He emphasized the importance of providing space for new generations to continue this path and expand its presence in the Syrian cultural landscape.
Cultural openness enhances diversity
Dost said in a statement to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA): "Opening up to the cultures existing in Syria in general, and Kurdish culture in particular, will positively reflect on the cohesion of the social fabric with all its components, and contribute to strengthening the inclusive Syrian national identity." He pointed out that Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2026, which affirmed the protection of cultural and linguistic diversity, opens new horizons for the development and flourishing of Kurdish literature.
Literature as a space for identity and interaction
The importance of reading the history of Kurdish literature lies in documenting the contributions of its writers and poets, and introducing their experiences within the Syrian cultural landscape, thereby enhancing interaction among its components and confirming the role of literature in safeguarding cultural memory. The lecture comes in the context of interest in Syrian linguistic and cultural diversity, and the opportunities it provides for re-reading literary experiences that contributed to shaping the national cultural landscape.
It is worth noting that Jan Dost, born in Ain al-Arab in the Aleppo governorate in 1965, studied natural sciences at the University of Aleppo and writes in both Kurdish and Arabic. His writings address issues of memory, identity, history, and the Syrian human experience, and a number of his works have been translated into other languages.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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